The program is designed to investigate a number of different biochemical aspects of normal and diseased connective tissue. The specific projects include: (a) enzymic steps in collagen biosynthesis; (b) synthetic peptides as models for collagen; (c) electron microscopy of enzymes involved in collagen biosynthesis and of related macromolecules; (d) subcellular structures involved in collagen biosynthesis; (e) synthesis and secretion of collagen by matrix-free cells. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES: W. W.-Y Kao and D. J. Prockop. Proline analogue removes fibroblasts from cultured mixed cell populations. Nature, 266:63 (1977). G. M. Bressan and D. J. Prockop. Synthesis of elastin in aortas from chick embryos. Conversion of newly-secreted elastin to cross-linked elastin without apparent proteolysis of the molecule. Biochemistry, 16:1406 (1977).